CMU School of Drama


Thursday, October 01, 2020

Best SawZall Blade for Any Job

Pro Tool Reviews: Now, you might think choosing the best SawZall blade for any job would be incredibly easy. Just select bi-metal or carbide (among the various carbides). Then, decide how long the blade needs to be. Pick from 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 18, or 24 TPI configurations. Decide whether to prioritize cutting metal (thick or thin), wood, nail-embedded wood, PVC, shingles, or even roots.

3 comments:

DJ L. said...

While people are always talking about different tool brands, and which tool is better than the over, blades are often thrown to the side and not thought about as much. That being said, blades make or break the tool. The best reciprocating saw in the world is nothing without a blade. And the best reciprocating saw in the world is nearly useless with a cheap, warn out blade. I feel like there are more and more types of blades coming out, however, this article did a really good job breaking down the different types and what their best uses are. What was nice about the article is how it laid out all the different blades by the material it is made for and it is best for. With this, I would definitely feel comfortable going out and knowing which blade I need and why. I do have to say I would have liked to see their opinion on the dual toothed pruning blades.

Gabe M said...

Tool manufacturers are always coming up with new tools and stronger motors and that is where most people stop doing their homework. Blades are perhaps far more important than the tool that they are going on. This article has an interesting motivation behind it. Reciprocating saws have always been a tool that I have almost exclusively used for demolition. In the nature of demolition, I have never cared about the quality of the cut after I dismantled a wall or platform. This article does a really great job of breaking down the different types of blades for a reciprocating saw. Since there is such an expansive market for blade types, I am beginning to wonder if demolition is only one of the many ways a reciprocating saw could be used. While the tool is not known for its stability and clean cutting ability, perhaps with the right blade and control, a reciprocating saw could be used on similar jobs that a jigsaw might also accomplish.

Charles Huber said...

Having spent a fair amount of time in a scene shop, it's always surprising how much left there is to learn. We certainly would change the blade for different materials, based solely on the advertised use on the blade. It's very nice to have outside, unbiased information that can help to determine the different efficiencies of blades, and therefore the best use for each one per material.